Denali National Park and Preserve

Denali National Park and Preserve covers nearly 9,500 square miles of land in the great state of Alaska. Denali means the great one" in the native Athabaskin language, a local native Indian of the area. Denali refers to the 20,320 foot tall mountain which is the real highlight of this park. The mountain and park were named Mt. McKinley by early prospectors although he had nothing to do with it and the locals have fought for years for the name to be changed back to Denali. Finally, in 1980 the name was changed, at least in Alaska. There is only one road servicing the park and it is the George Park Highway to the mining camp at Kantishna, some 91 miles west of Highway 3. Only the first fifteen miles are paved due to the steep costs of maintenance on the permafrost soil of the area.
The park is home to an abundance of animals and several species of fish. When referring to the big five animals of the park they are speaking of bears (both black and grizzly), moose, caribou, wolves, and Dall sheep.